Scott Kleeb on Health Care

Democratic Challenger

Enhance Medicare Rx program, and fill "donut hole"

Q: Do you support the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit?

A: While no one action will stabilize the Medicare program, I believe we must enhance the prescription drug program while making these benefits easier for seniors to access. Moreover, I believe
we must fill the "donut hole" so seniors won't be forced to pay unfair premiums & must pursue all available options to reduce drug prices. Finally, I believe we must do more to support incentives for small businesses that struggle to provide health care.

Shouldn't phase out adult mental health care services

Kleeb accused Johanns of "zeroing out" the mental health budget during his tenure as governor, when the state phased out adult mental health care services at the regional center in Hastings and began doing so at the regional center in Norfolk.

Johanns said that Kleeb was "simply wrong" and that neither he nor state lawmakers would have allowed that to happen.

Kleeb quickly took aim at Johanns during his opening statement, criticizing the former governor for his role in phasing out the
state's regional centers. In 2004, Johanns supported a proposal to develop more community-based programs for the mentally ill. As part of that plan, lawmakers lessened the roles of the regional centers and spent the money from institutional treatment
on community-based mental health services.

Johanns responded that more than $26 million was budgeted to help with the transition. "We would never have gotten a bill passed with that idea. It would (have been) just cruel beyond cruel," said Johanns.

Give all taxpayers access to federal coverage like Congress

Johanns took aim at Kleeb's repeated promise to give all taxpayers access to the federal health care coverage provided to Congress and other federal employees.

Johanns said that was a "nice sound bite," but said it would cost the nation $480 billion.

Kleeb responded that at a time when government was spending billions to rescue
Wall Street, he thought the federal government could help insure the uninsured. It is estimated that about 200,000 Nebraskans lack health insurance, Kleeb said.

Kleeb also argued that Nebraskans already pay for the uninsured, whose medical bills are passed down by hospitals and doctors to other consumers. "We actually can afford it because we're paying it," Kleeb said.

Alternative community treatment not adequately funded

The candidates clashed over Johanns' record as governor in closing state psychiatric institutions in Hastings and Norfolk to shift treatment to nonhospital community settings.
Kleeb called that failed leadership because alternative community treatment was not adequately funded, leaving authorities with no place to house mentally ill people taken into custody.
He cited allegations of inhumane treatment of residents of the Beatrice State Developmental Center.

Johanns said Kleeb made a "major mistake" by calling the Beatrice center a "mental health" facility because it treats the developmentally disabled.
He said the policy change allowed Nebraska to access millions in additional federal dollars, allowing 9,000 more people to receive mental health services.

High-quality and affordable coverage for all Americans

As a nation, we must provide high-quality, affordable, and portable coverage for all Americans. Increasingly, this is not just a moral imperative but an economic necessity as the high cost of health care coverage is putting
American business, large and small alike, at a weaker competitive advantage with their overseas competitors. Working with all parties, we must guarantee all Americans access to affordable health plans, regardless of income or illness.

Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008

Healthcare plan similar to what all Members of Congress have

At a minimum, any such plan must be similar to that offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, the plan all Members of Congress have, and that it would cover all essential medical services, including preventative, maternity, and
mental health care. Physical illness must be covered on parity with mental illness. We also provide affordable premiums, co-pays, and deductibles with a guarantee of easy enrollment for all citizens.

Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008

Reward employer who ensure that their employees

The increased cost of providing health care to employees has put an undue burden on small businesses which are the best provider of stable good paying jobs in America.
We need to provide tax incentives that prompt and reward employer who ensure that their employees have good and affordable health care coverage.

Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008

Supports universal health-care system

Kleeb on Health Care: Has no detailed health-care plan. Says he supports universal health-care system, but does not say whether he would support a requirement that all people have insurance in an effort to spread out the costs.